The Houses weren’t likely to allow Roake to join in the manhunt either.Not officially.Any search they conducted would have to be done covertly.
“My storm, what news do you have for us?”
Obeying Torvald’s summons, Graydon advanced from his position on the periphery of the room.He stopped next to Harlow’s kneeling figure.
“Sire,” Graydon said respectfully.
Torvald made a disgusted face.“Don’t bother standing on ceremony.You never have before.”
Graydon smirked, relaxing as he sent a sidelong look at the man kneeling next to him.“Overlord.”
For a man who’d just been put in his place by the emperor, there was no sign of diffidence in Harlow’s expression as he gave Graydon a wry smile.“Little storm.You made good time.”
“I had help.”
Pallas’s gift was a product of experiments and not one original to the Tuann.It allowed him, and whoever he chose, to travel great distances with a single step.
Graydon had to admit that it came in handy during situations like this.Otherwise, by the time he arrived, it might have been too late.
There was no sign of discomfort in Harlow’s expression as he rose to standing.
“Last I heard, the forty-three and their representatives were being less than cooperative,” Harlow said with mild interest.
“You’re not wrong.Pallas’s offer took me by surprise as well,” Graydon admitted.
That surprise had faded when news of Roake and Kira’s situation reached him.
If there was one area where the forty-three were predictable, it was their preoccupation with the two youngest of their number.
Kira and Jin.
“They hope to gain something from the situation,” Harlow guessed.
“More than that, they have a proposition for us.If we want it,” Graydon added.
Torvald held up a hand.“Before we get to that, my son?How is Devon?”
“Well, sire.He and the other boy, Joule, have begun their hunt for thelu-ongscale that will serve as their synth armor’s seed.”
It was unlikely their endeavor would prove fruitful—most required several attempts before achieving success—but it would be a valuable training experience.
Their exact location was known only to a handful of Graydon’s most trusted.They would be safe while events played out on the wider galactic stage.
“Then we can finish our discussion regarding the attacks.Does Roake have any news?”Torvald asked.
Harlow took the floor.“I had my people study the orbs Kira and Raider recovered from the Nexus before it blew.”
Torvald’s features sharpened with interest.“Not everything was destroyed?”
Harlow nodded.“Without the waters of our Nexus, they seem to have gone into hibernation.”
“What are they?”
“Silas consulted the records but found no mention of them.If they’re the product of the Osiri, it’s something they created after our departure.Kira and Raider weren’t familiar with them either.”
Harlow projected the orb for Torvald and Graydon to study.
“From what we’ve managed to uncover, they feed off the Mea’Ave’s energy to replicate.Once they reached a certain number, they disrupted control of our defensive and offensive networks and uploaded their own command protocols.”
